Pakistan Super League

Final result: Islamabad defeated Quetta by six wickets

The Pakistan Super League (PSL) is all set to rock the world of lucrative T20 leagues. With 69 local and 29 foreign stars, the five-team, 24-match league will be held from February 4 to February 23 at two UAE stadiums in Sharjah and Dubai.

The teams were sold for a total of $93 million to ARY media group (Karachi Kings), Qatar Oil (Lahore Qalandars), UAE Capital Venture (Islamabad United), Haier (Peshawar Zalmi) and Omar Associates (Quetta Gladiators) for 10 years, with $200,000 salaries for top-tier players and relatively handsome pays for mid-tier and emerging talent as well. The winning side, meanwhile, will bring home $1 million.

With the legendary Wasim Akram and Ramiz Raja as brand ambassadors, the PSL is being touted as Pakistan’s much needed opportunity to resurface on the international cricket scene in the limited overs.

Karachi also have the services of a proven T20 captain in Malik, under whom Sialkot Stallions have won the domestic T20 tournaments a record six times.

Weakness

Lack of quality batting at the top of the order can prove to be a problem for Karachi; especially since England international James Vince is a doubt due to his commitment with the national side.

Another thing that may be a problem for the Kings is the absence of renowned big hitters in the lower order. The team will have to rely heavily on stroke makers rather than genuine power hitters and sloggers who can play vital cameos in the death overs.

Squad

Shoaib Malik – 9 Matches, 157 runs, 1 wicket

Shakib Al Hasan – 8 Matches, 126 runs, 3 wickets

Sohail Tanvir – 6 Matches, 33 runs, 2 wickets

Imad Wasim – 8 Matches, 48 run, 4 wickets

Ravi Bopara – 9 Matches, 329 runs, 11 wicket

Lendl Simmons – 6 Matches, 151 runs

Mohammad Amir – 7 Matches, 10 runs, 7 wickets

Bilawal Bhatti – 1 Match, 15 runs, 2 wickets

James Vince – 7 Matches, 111 runs

Iftikhar Ahmed – 4 Matches, 27 run, 0 wicket

Nauman Anwar – 5 Matches, 55 run, 0 wicket

Mushfiqur Rahim – 3 Matches, 49 runs, 1 catch, 2 stumping

Usama Mir – 7 Matches, 13 runs, 6 wickets

Sohail Khan – 5 Matches, 21 runs, 4 wicket

Mir Hamza – 4 Matches, 0 wicket

Safiullah Bangash – 5 Matches, 0 run, 2 catch, 0 stumping

Tillakaratne Dilshan –

Shahzaib Hasan – 2 Match, 45 runs

Fawad Alam –

Ryan ten Doeschate – 1 Match, 16 runs

Riki Wessels – 2 Matches, 4 runs

Lahore Qalandars

Lahore Qalandars was sold to Qatar Lubricants for $24million/year for a period of 10 years.

Lahore signed West Indian opener Chris Gayle, who holds the records for the fastest century and half-century in T20s, as their icon player. However, the team will be led by Pakistan ODI captain Azhar Ali.

South African Paddy Upton has been appointed as the head coach, with Ijaz Ahmed (batting coach) and Shahid Aslam (assistant coach) also in the coaching roster.

Strengths

Lahore have the services of proven big-hitters in Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo and Umar Akmal.

They can also call upon the services of exciting young Pakistani talents such as Mohammad Rizwan, Sohaib Maqsood and Zafar Gohar.

The presence of veteran Abdul Razzaq as a supplementary players is also going to excite supporters, as he is a proven match-winner.

Weakness

Qalandars will be led by a captain, Azhar Ali, who was a Test specialist before he was inducted into the ODI side as the captain. He has never played a T20I for Pakistan and has scored only two half-centuries in 42 domestic T20s.

He recently captained Lahore Lions in the domestic T20 tournament and the team finished bottom of their group.

Another drawback is the unavailability of key bowlers Yasir Shah and Mustafizur Rahman. The former is facing a potential ban after failing to pass a random dope test, while the latter has been barred from participating in the PSL to reduce his work load before the World T20.

Squad

Chris Gayle – 5 Matches, 103 runs

Dwayne Bravo – 8 Matches, 111 runs, 4 wicket

Umar Akmal – 7 Matches, 335 runs

Mohammad Rizwan – 8 Matches, 103 runs, 6 catch, 4 stumpings

Ajantha Mendis – 4 Matches, 4 wickets

Shoaib Maqsood – 2 Match, 79 runs

Mustafizur Rahman –

Kevon Cooper – 7 Matches, 10 runs, 6 wickets

Cameron Delport – 8 Matches, 227 runs, 4 wickets

Zafar Gohar – 6 Matches, 1 run, 7 wickets

Hammad Azam – 3 Matches, 18 runs

Zia-ul-Haq – 3 Matches, 3 wicket

Zohaib Khan – 7 Matches, 18 runs, 3 wickets

Azhar Ali – 7 Matches, 183 runs

Naved Yasin – 5 Matches, 27 runs

Adnan Rasool – 3 Matches, 0 runs

Abdul Razzaq –

Mukhtar Ahmed –

Ehsan Adil – 5 Matches, 7 wickets

Imran Butt –

Peshawar Zalmi

Peshawar Zalmi was sold to Javed Afridi, the CEO of Haier Pakistan, for $16million for a 10-year period.

Zalmi signed Pakistan T20I captain Shahid Afridi as their icon player, who will also captain the side.

Mohammad Akram was appointed as their head coach and the former Pakistan paceman will be assisted by Andy Flower (batting coach) and Grant Ludon (fielding coach).

Strengths

The team also has some other potential match winners, including Kamran Akmal and Wahab Riaz.

Wahab, Shaun Tait and Junaid Khan form a good fast-bowling lineup, while Afridi has once again found form with the ball.

Weakness

Too many oldies can ruin the show for Peshawar. In a format which is touted to be for young and energetic cricketers, Peshawar’s reliance on the tried and tested may be to theire detriment.

The spin department looks weak as too much hope has been placed on the ageing shoulders of Shahid Afridi and Abdur Rehman. The latter has been out of the national team for quite some time now and has played only eight T20Is for Pakistan.

Squad

Shahid Afridi – 10 Matches, 87 runs, 10 wickets

Wahab Riaz – 9 Matches, 56 runs, 15 wickets

Darren Sammy – 10 Matches, 140 runs, 4 wickets

Kamran Akmal – 10 Matches, 151 runs, 8 catches, 2 stumpings

Mohammad Hafeez – 9 Matches, 220 runs

Shaun Tait – 9 Matches, 10 wickets

Tamim Iqbal – 6 Matches, 267 runs

Junaid Khan – 6 Matches, 2 runs, 6 wickets

Jim Allenby – 2 Match, 38 runs

Aamer Yamin – 2 Match, 0 runs, 1 wickets

Dawid Malan – 8 Matches, 163 runs

Imran Khan jr – 1 Match, 1 wicket

Shahid Yousuf – 9 Matches, 99 runs

Abdur Rehman – 1 Match, 0 wicket

Musadiq Ahmed –

Hasan Ali – 3 Matches 2 wickets, 6 runs

Mohammad Asghar – 9 Matches, 11 wickets, 1 run

Brad Hodge – 4 matches, 93 runs

Israrullah –

Taj

Quetta Gladiators

Quetta Gladiators was sold to Omar Associates for $11million/year for a period of 10 years.

Gladiators signed former England batsman Kevin Pietersen as their icon player, but Pakistan ODI and T20I vice-captain Sarfraz Ahmed will lead the side.

Former Pakistan captain Moin Khan has been appointed as the head coach, while England’s Ian Pont (assistant/bowling coach) and Julien Fountain (fielding coach) will assist him.